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J. W. NEIL.

Bayonet-Attachment;

N0. 134,608. Patented Jan. 7, 1873.

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AM. PHHTOi/ HOGRAPHIG 611M! (OSBOHNES PRDOESSJ JAMES W. NEIL, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, EDWARD SIMP- SON, OF G-LENCOVE, AND JOHN W. WILSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y;

IMPROVEMENT lN BAVONE T ATTACHMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. B 3d,60, dated January 7,1873.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JAMES W. NEIL, of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented an Improvement in Bayonet Attachments, and the following is declared to be a correct description thereof:

Bayonets have heretofore been provided with a revolving lock passing beneath the stud on the barrel, and a spring has also been introduced upon the cylinder of the bayonet to pass behind this stud and prevent the bayonet drawing off. This spring, however, had a projecting thumb-piece that is liable to be caught in handling the musket and the spring bent or broken.

My invention is made for obviating these difficulties; and consists in a spring-lever applied within a raised portion of the cylinder of the bayonet so as to be entirely protected,

and the end of this lever is unlatched by pressing upon the opposite end; thereby, in unfixing bayonets, the soldier stands with the piece in his left hand, and disconnects the lever by pressure of the thumb or finger, and strikes up the bayonet with the right hand in the usual manner, which cannot be done in the spring-bayonet locks heretofore employed.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a section, longitudinally, of the bayonet-cylinder; and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan at the line m 00.

The barrel to of the musket or firearm is to be of the usual character and provided with a block or projection, sometimes serving as a sight, and the cylinder 1) of the bayonet c is made with the ordinary right-angle groove or mortise, a portion of which is shown at c, or said groove may run straight or be curved, if preferred. The lever e is upon a fulcrum, 2', and occupies a mortise or recess in the cylinder b of the bayonet, and is provided with a spring, 0, to cause the latch r at the end of said lever to enter the notch for the same in the barrel a. raised portion, t, surrounding the end s of the lever 6, so that the same is effectually protected from injury in handling the piece, and by pressing upon this end s of the lever e the latch 1" will be thrown out of the notch in the barrel and allow of the bayonet being unfixed. The inclined under side of the latch 1" allows of the bayonet being fixed upon the musket without the lever 0 being separately acted upon.

I claim as my invention- The spring-lever c, with a latch, 1', at one end and a thumb-piece, s, at the other end, in combination with the cylinder b of the bayonet and the raised portion t surrounding such thumb-piece s, as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 11th day of May, A. D. 72.

' JAMES W. NEIL. Witnesses:

Gno. 'l. PINOKNEY, CHAS. H. SMITH.

The cylinder 1) is made with a 

